Jewelry made by Emily

Going beyond sewing here... I love that my daughters are crafty and probably more creative than I am. My grandmother was a knitter and quilter, my mom loved the same, and I hope to pass along a crafty and creative niche to my daughters as well.

(Made by Emily)

My daughter, Emily (7-years-old) is into jewelry making and beads. We had the idea to make the kid's teachers homemade gifts for Christmas this year. This is what she came up with. Can you believe it?! I was impressed. I helped a little, but she came up with the design. I thought it came out beautiful. She has an eye for beautiful things and I look forward to showing off more of her designs.

Luggage Tags

If you read my previous post, I asked you to guess what I was making for my sister and her family as they get ready to travel out of the country... and here it is - Luggage Tags!!

(Click on image for larger view.)

I had a lot of fun making these, but also got frustrated working with the vinyl. My sewing machine is not fancy and does not work well with vinyl. It continually got stuck on the vinyl... So, to remedy my issue, I cut wax paper and placed it between the sewing foot and the vinyl... and also ended up using my mom's Elna sewing machine. Between the two of these helps, I was able to finish all 16 luggage tags in time for Christmas.

Having matching luggage tags will help while traveling with 4 children and trying to find so many pieces of luggage.

Find the tutorial to make these over at SkipToMyLou and let me know if you make your own. Be sure to find these and more available in other fabrics over at my store SewWhatSteph! I'll be adding more soon.

1 week 'til Christmas!

I can't believe Christmas is so close! I have been busy baking cookies for family, teachers, pastors, and friends this week. Don't get me wrong... I love baking, so this is truly a joy to me. I just find that time slips away before I know it.

I've decided that my children's aprons will have to wait to get done at a later date. I've had another sewing project that has taken precedence.

I'm working on a project for my sister and her family. They are moving out of the country in the new year, so I've been wracking my brain to come up with a creative and useful gift for Christmas. I came across the perfect gift that they are sure to take with them on their journey. I won't talk about it yet as my sis might check in on my site before Christmas, and I want it to stay a surprise. However, I will post pictures of this fun and easy travel accessory... (hint, hint) Can you guess what it is?!

A) Crochet water bottle carrier

B) Luggage tag

C) Mini make-up roll

D) Passport cover

Stay tuned for more details!

And if I don't stop by before Christmas... May the truth of the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ fill your hearts with joy and peace this season and in the new year!

Finger Knitting - Fun for All Ages!

I recently stumbled upon a fun and easy way to knit a simple scarf and it's so easy a 6-year-old (or younger) can do it! All you need is a skein of yarn and your fingers.

This is the best Youtube video I've found to show you an easy way to learn...



Enjoy! And let me know if you give it a try. My girls have come to love this and will finish a child's size scarf in a matter of an hour. It's a great craft for your children to make for Christmas gifts for their teachers too.

This Year's Cookie Package Treats

Every year at Christmas I love baking cookies, goodies, and treats! We started a tradition about 11 years ago when I started baking cookies and mailing them to my husband's family who lives all over the U.S. Since we couldn't be with them all at Christmas, we wanted to let them know that we were still thinking of them and love them. So, the cookie package began!

I thought I'd show you a sampling of what went into this year's package (that just so happened to be mailed today!). I hope it arrives in one piece!

(Pictured above: Crinkle-Top Cookies, Gingerbread Men, Homemade Hot Cocoa Mix, Mini Marshmallows, Turtle Pretzel Bites, Ferrer Rocher Chocolates, and Candy Canes)

I didn't bake as much as I normally do, but instead decided to purchase some of my favorite treats and goodies to add to the homemade side of things. I added tags for each item to personalize it and make it fun.

A friend of mine made up some great candy cane poem gift tags for a special project our church was doing. I copied it and added it to the package. Afterall, Christmas is all about Jesus!

After it was all packaged up, I swiftly ran to the post office and the cookie packages went on their way to be shuffled around with many, many other special packages and shipped to our beloved family.

I hope they enjoy these goodies as much as I enjoyed putting them together for them! Honestly, I think it's more of a gift to me than to them. I love doing this kind of thing. The kids play a part in it all and it truly is a fun tradition in our house year after year.

For recipes of the homemade items in this year's cookie package...

• Slimmer Crinkle-Top Cookies, Click HERE for recipe.
  
• Best Hot Cocoa Mix, Click HERE for recipe.
• Caramel-Pecan Pretzels, Click HERE for recipe.
  

If only...

If only... my life was simple I would be able to find more time to do the things I love: sewing, knitting, putting photos into albums. Instead, life is complicated these days. In the midst of another job change for my husband, my simplicity comes in encouraging him, loving my children, and finding short moments to make special.

Thankfully, I was able to set aside this past Saturday to decorate the house with Christmas decorations - we even have 2 Christmas trees this year, which is a first. Our tradition goes as follows:

1. Hubby goes up to the attic and pulls everything down.
2. The kids go crazy wanting to pull everything out of the bins at one time.
3. Mom says, "No." Then, we try to do it in an organized fashion. (Note the word "try.")
   

It's fun to see the kid's faces as familiar decorations are pulled out of the bins. We go around the house placing things here and there. Then the tree goes up. This year, I had a smaller tree that fit perfectly in our book nook that I rearranged earlier this year. Then, we worked on our hand-me-down 7ft tree that is the most beautiful tree we've ever had (pictured above). Our house looks festive, greenery is around the front door, and the wreath is hung on the door.

Another tradition in our house is that each year the kids get to pick out an ornament to add to their collection. Here is what each of them picked. I love to see how it shows their personality.

This is Sophia's... it came with 2 little dolls with braids. She loves to read and likes things pretty and simple. I love that about her!

Next comes Emily... She is my glitz and glamour girl, loves pretty things, love treats, and loves getting gifts. A pink lollipop is what she chose!

Then, there's my little man Isaac. He couldn't decide what he wanted, so I had to help him a bit. He loves stuffed animals, and thought this giraffe was a good pick. However, he didn't want to put it on the tree. He'd much rather play with it. That's a boy for you! :)

Normally, I make the kids pajamas for Christmas, but this year, I've decided to make aprons for each of them out of fabric I've previously purchased. I'm excited about this project and hope I can complete it in time! My kids love to help me in the kitchen, and several years ago I had purchased 3 aprons from a dollar store. They're now too small on them. I hope to post pictures of the new aprons as I complete them. I was perplexed on what fabric to use for my son as an apron is not really a "boy thing" in my mind. However, he would feel left out if he didn't get one too... so, you'll have to wait and see what I have for him!

I hope you are having a nice Christmas season. May we always remember the true reason for Christmas... Jesus Christ!

Child's Crayon Roll-Up

I am loving this new crayon roll-up! My daughter and I made one of these for her friend's birthday and paired it with a fun notebook. I've also made the kind with the ribbon. And although it's probably prettier, it's not as practical for little children to have to tie a bow every time they want to secure the roll. The elastic is SO much easier that even a toddler can do it.

So, I'm adding this one to my Etsy store today. If you're interested in it or another color option (which I'll be adding this week), I'm charging $7.00 for the small version. If you'd like the 16-ct Crayon Roll-Up, it is $12.00. I'll be adding it soon, or you can contact me.

What I'm working on...

With all 3 of my children in school full-time now, I have found myself with more time to clean house, organize, and of course get crafty - my favorite! I have a few projects in the works right now with hopes to start an Etsy shop soon.

I'm excited about this new endeavor I'm going toward and hope that it might become a helpful way for me to make a little extra to bless our family and others.

I'll be revealing some of my projects soon... hopefully later this week. So, stay tuned!

French Bread Basket (Simple Project)

I found this great and fun pattern to create this French Bread Basket and fell in love! I made this in less than 2 hours, it was so simple. I plan on posting a tutorial if you are interested in making one for yourself.

You can make these in any size you need. I've seen them used for bread, rolls, tea bags, and so many things outside of the kitchen as well. The ribbons add a nice touch and can be untied to allow this bread basket to be collapsible.

I can totally see myself making up a bunch of these and including them in my yearly Christmas cookie bake. Don't you think they'd make great displays for Christmas cookies?! I love that they're washable and easy to store too!

Tutorial coming soon...

Sew Crafty Sites

Unfortunately, I was not blessed with tremendous creativity, so I love learning from other people's gifts of creativeness! Here are some really adorable ideas for simple sewing projects...

If you have a little boy (or a big boy) who likes to spiffy up, ALemonSqueezyHome offers a fun and thorough tutorial to make these adorable bow-ties. This is also a great idea for costumes!


Cloud9Fabrics has a simple downloadable pattern to make these super cute burp cloths. I'm thinking homemade baby shower gift, ladies! I know I would've loved receiving a handmade baby gift when my children were wee little ones... (Can you hear a slight Irish accent here? I can hear it and I'm not even Irish!)


And for those of you who are craftier than I am, here's a fun craft or gift idea to create from SewAndSew. You can find a fabric postcard tutorial over at RedShoeRamblings to help you out in recreating this project.

I hope you enjoy these sites and fun craft ideas as much as I do!

Cozy Nap Mat for School

I'm so excited to share with you my most recent project! Up until this year, I have always homeschooled our children, but this year my husband and I have chosen to send them to a private Christian school. Along with this decision, we've had all sorts of adventures - including uniforms, school supplies... and the need for a nap mat for my son who's starting Kindergarten this year!

So, naturally, I saw "PROJECT" in my future! I know I could've just gone to the store and bought a KinderMat, but instead I just had to take the opportunity to make one! I did a little looking online and came across this great tutorial (which I tweaked a little) and... Ta-Da!!

I can't begin to tell you how excited he is about his new nap mat! And I love that I was able to create something special for him to take to school that's just from Mommy. Selfishly, I hope that he thinks of me every time he lays on it... but realistically, I know he'll be too busy trying to keep all the kids from taking actual naps... yes, my boy is that child.

I'd love to hear what you're working on in a comment below. Have you ever made a nap mat or do you have a really cool project (sewing or crafty) that you want to share?! Please leave me a comment!! I love to hear from you.

P.S. You can click on the images in this post to see more detail.

Patchwork and Ruffles!

I have really begun to enjoy patchwork sewing. Recently, I was inspired by a shopping trip in which I saw a beautiful patchwork skirt that my daughter fell in love with. I know I'm not the only one to find something I love and say, "I think I could make that!" And so I set out to create this skirt! Here's the finished project.

Ignore the little threads on the bottom. The perfectionistic side of me needs to go get a pair of scissors and cut those off...

My daughter loves how it flows and has worn this skirt for the past 2 days - with exception to bedtime. In our house, it truly comes down to the "twirl factor". That is, does the skirt make a beautiful twirly movement when you spin in a circle. If it does, it's a beautiful skirt. And I'm happy to say that the twirl factor with this skirt was a winner!

(You'll notice that I used mostly fabric I've been using lately. I'm slowly building up my fabric collection... and am in need of some organization of it too!)

Sew Crafty Sites

I love to see all the fantastic ideas people come up with! I've decided to post about all the amazing ideas I come across on other blogs as well. If you blog and would like to share a creative masterpiece on SewWhatSteph.com, please let me know.

Here are the finds this week. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

This green lizard made by Abby over at WhileSheNaps is about the cutest lizard I have ever seen. From the green herringbone fabric to the spikes down his back, Abby has a great eye for detail. My 4-year-old son would absolutely fall in love with this lizard! He has a thing for lizards and loves to play with them outside. I think the lizards think of it more as torture... I often have to remind him that he's a lot bigger than they are.

Next up is this cuter than cute ruffled apron made by BayouBags. She even directs you to the tutorial she worked off so that you can make one for yourself! LOVE it!

And finally since summer is in the air here in Florida, I can't help but feature a practical and useful sunglasses case by SewFantastic. Complete with a thorough tutorial, Terri shows you just how to make your very own!

I'm inspired! Summer projects...

We have been a homeschooling family ever since I taught my first daughter how to read, and I've loved having my kids home with me (most days!) ever since. However, we have found that there is a season for everything, and have made the decision to enroll our 3 children in a Christian school next year. We were blessed to be able to do so and are excited about a new routine for our family.

My hope is that with all the changes going on in our house, I will also be able to sew more. I've been looking forward to some projects I can't wait to get my hands on. Here's a taste of what's to come... and maybe some tutorials too!

I am always inspired by the amazing creations on Etsty.com. These ladies (and gents) are so talented! Dance2Create has a favorite lunch bag that I adore. I've never needed to pack lunches for my kids on a daily basis with them being home, so I'm excited to see if I can recreate this bag with my own flare. She's got other great lunch bag items and adorable fabrics to choose from. Check her stuff out HERE.


Another idea I have rolling around in my head is this cute crayon roll-up. I've seen these before in boutique shops and thought they looked pretty simple to make. I just love the fabric of this Mini Crayon Roll from lar1203 on Etsy.com. So, this will be a definite project for me to figure out this summer. I can imagine my kids taking these on road trips or just having their own handy pack of crayons.


And finally, one more simple sewing idea I have is this cute Wristlet Key Fob. I'm looking forward to finding some fun fabrics and making these as gifts.

These are just a few of the projects I'm excited about trying out this summer! If you have any suggestions for simple sewing ideas, let me know in a comment below. I'd love to hear from you.

What I've been working on...

I know it's been a while since I've posted a new sewing project, so I thought I'd show you what I've been working on for Mother's Day. Throughout the years, my mom has put together so many Around-the-World quilts for me, my sister, and countless friends and family. I remember as a child watching her cut out all the squares, then lay them out on the living room floor, and finally sew them all together. I never thought I'd make a quilt as nice as hers. And until now, I had never tried.

It just seemed to fit that my mom should get the very first quilt I've ever made. With 7 grandchildren (3 of them mine), she's been wanting a blanket that would represent her grandkids. I thought about it and decided to make a quilt - my first ever - for her Mother's Day gift. I literally made this going by what I watched her do so many times before. I went to JoAnn's and bought the fabric with help from my children - that was a fun trip! I used a favorite throw blanket to determine the size I wanted, then went from there. I use a rotary cutter with cutting board that makes the cutting go SO much quicker.

I did a couple of searches on YouTube.com to to learn the best way to sew the binding around the finished quilt. (Look below for those links.) and ta-da, this is the finished project!

Click on image above for larger size.

My mom has been out of town visiting her mom for Mother's Day, so she won't actually open this gift until today. Hopefully, she won't stop by SewWhatSteph.com before she opens it... :)

The picture didn't come out quite as well as I would've liked, but here's some of the details of the quilt. Since I am not super skilled in hand appliqueing, I chose to use a permanent fabric paint pen to write the names and birthdates of each grand child. Then at the top, I quoted a verse from one of my favorite chapters of the Bible (Proverbs 31) that states, "Her children arise and call her blessed." Proverbs 31:28. I chose some colorful and bright fabrics because my mom is not a stuffy kinda lady and I wanted her to smile every time she looked at the blanket. These fabrics are bright and cheery, so I thought what better way to brighten her day?! I finished it off with yarn ties - again, a simpler method my mom used often.

In case you haven't figured it out yet, my mom is very special to me. We are so much alike and often think the same way. Throughout 2009, she went through a long process of breast cancer treatments. I never understood how hard that was until I saw her go through it. I appreciate my mom so much more today than ever. More importantly, I saw her walk with God grow immensely throughout that time. She is a true woman of God and her faith and love in God has blessed me beyond measure. I do indeed "arise and call her blessed!"

YouTube.com Links:

• How to Bind a Quilt: I used this video to help me understand the binding method, but only as a guide. If you're new to quilting, hopefully this helps.
• The Slip Stitch: I slip stitched the back of the binding. Since I had never done this before, I again looked to YouTube for a demonstration. This took a little longer than I liked to complete, but I loved the finished product!